... decrease in numbers of the followers of both denominations differs greatly from global indicators. The continent has around 257 million Catholics and 200.5 million Orthodox Christians, most of whom belong to the
Russian Orthodox Church
.
The Roman Catholic Church is extremely concerned about the changing religious beliefs of people in
North America
and the
Old World
. In his first encyclical
Lumen Fidei
, Pope Francis stressed that many of our contemporaries perceive the “light of Faith” ...
A landmark meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis took place at Jose Marti International Airport in Havana on February 12, 2016. A meeting of this kind has been unprecedented in the history of relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Growing differences in doctrinal theology and policies led to the split in once united Christianity in the Great Schism of 1054 and to establishing its Eastern and Western branches. The Russian Orthodox ...
... divided by religion and ethnicity. In recent months the Pope made repeated appeals for an end to conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, Ukraine, and parts of Africa. In many of these conflicts Christians are often target of sectarian and religious hatred. The Catholic Church’s mediating message was reiterated in Sarajevo, where Francis invited Christian and Muslim communities to work together for peace and respectful coexistence through patient, trustful dialogue. Undoubtedly, the Pope is driven also ...
It is well known that, through the Holy See, the Catholic Church is the only religious institute that maintains diplomatic relations with states, members of the international community. There are three main factors that determine the Vatican’s role in global politics: the historical conditions ...
